By Karoline Mortensen
The students, alumni, faculty, supporters, and staff in the Department of Health Management and Policy at the University of Miami Herbert Business School continue to excel and demonstrate remarkable resilience and leadership through uncertainty. Uncertainty over the past three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting economic forces, and workforce issues have emphasized the importance of teamwork, human resource management, supply chain efficiency, compassionate leadership, and strategic alignment with core business principles. The business school-based curricula we offer in our undergraduate, Master of Health Administration (MHA), Health Executive Master in Business Administration (HEMBA), and MD/MBA programs provides our students and alumni with essential skills necessary to navigate uncertainty and transform organizations.
The successes and accomplishments of our students continue to impress and make an impact. Our undergraduate team placed first again in the South Florida Chapter of the American College of Health Executives (ACHE) case competition. Our MHA students set a new program record for the number of prestigious administrative fellowships, residencies, and internships, including opportunities at Vanderbilt Medical Center, UNC Health, Nicklaus Children’s, and other impactful organizations. Our Health Executive MBA is ranked the #1 Health Executive MBA program by U.S. News and World Report, and the #1 program overall in Florida. Our alumni span the nation and the world, offering students access to an expansive network.
It is with great honor we announce that our Public Policy in Health class in our Health Executive MBA will be co-taught in spring 2023 by two former United States Health and Human Services Secretaries- perhaps the first time in history for such a collaboration. Secretary Donna E. Shalala (also former member of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives and former University of Miami president) will by joined by the Honorable Alex M. Azar (former president of the U.S. division of Eli Lilly) in the classroom. In addition to leading this class together, they guest lecture in all of the courses in our health management and policy curricula.
Our master’s degree programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). The rigorous standards of these organizations ensure our curricula adhere to the highest quality standards. We actively participate in the Business School Alliance for Health Management (BAHM), an elite, collaborative group of business school-based health management programs offering national and global resources.
Our Center for Health Care Management and Policy hosted its 11th annual conference, “The Business of Health Care: Technology, Access, and the New Normal.” Over one thousand participants joined in person and via livestream. Top leadership from major professional organizations, including the Medical Group Management Association, National Medical Association, America’s Health Insurance Plans, the American Hospital Association, the American Nurses Association, the Healthcare Financial Management Association, and Guidewell- Florida Blue joined for a keynote panel discussion on technology and access. Hosting the event offers our students, alumni, and supporters unparalleled access to industry experts.
Our faculty continue to publish research and play editorial roles in high-impact journals, serve the community, and hold leadership positions in the department, school, and university.
This glimpse into a sample of the rich set of activities occurring in our department and programs suggests that the reach of the Department of Health Management and Policy is local, national, and global.
Leading through this uncertainty has challenges. The mission of Miami Herbert Business School resonates now more than ever: to develop transformative scholarship and principled leaders for business and society.
Karoline Mortensen is a Professor in the Department of Health Management and Policy at the University of Miami Herbert Business School. She is Associate Dean for Business Programs, Associate Director of the Center for Health Management and Policy, and was the founding Director of the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program. For more information, visit www.bus.miami.edu.
